Music Boxes and Stop Watches

Today brings me to the (likely) last day of working before Christmas break, for which I am glad. Today I also start my master's program at Grand Canyon University (online). I think I shall dedicate today's posting to my new pal Dustin at the GCU admissions office who keeps answering my incessant questions and fixing my problems.

Anyway, today I visit one of the fourth grades at my school of highest choosing. To date this year, I have visited ALL classes in the school except for 2 half-day kinders, 1 3rd grade, 1 4th grade and 1 5th grade. (I HAVE been to the all-day kinder, all 3 1st grades, 2 2nd grades, 1 3rd, 1 4th and 1 5th). I am quite the spectacle when I walk down the hallways now - about 9 out of 14 kids recognize me and feel compelled to say hello. It is fun to be popular. :)

I knew some of this class from last year or even the year before. One girl actually remembered me from 1st grade when she went to a different school!

Anyways again, the class was a bit eager to be heard sometimes (read, yelling things out to me without raising their hands), but were really very pleasant and easy. This is mostly thanks in part to two management systems the teacher had in place that I particularly enjoyed:

1- When the class was called to attention and did not give it right away, or started talking during instructions, I just started a stopwatch around my neck and waited for them to pay attention. Once they were listening again I stopped it. The time would add up on the watch and then they would miss that time from their recess the next time.

2- When the class go too loud during a working time, I opened the lid of a music box in the front of the room. This was the cue to the kids to settle down. Once they heard the music they all shut up really fast and I closed the lid. I'm not sure what the consequences for this one are - I'm guessing since it was a wind-up box that maybe when the music ran down they missed out on something? I will have to ask their teacher next time I am there for someone else.

Anyway, I liked these things because they worked well, they weren't confrontational, and they were very easy to leave for a substitute to use! Sometimes a teacher has a great management plan that they use, but it's challenging for a sub to implement - either because it's complicated, or I'd need to know every one's name, etc. And it's always nice to shock the class by revealing you KNOW about their music box. :)